Mobile Suit Gundam: UC Twilight
by Type-0x
Summary: Universal Century 0179. An entire century has passed since the bloody One Year War an a quarter century after the League Militaire achieved victory over the Zanscare Empire. With the revival of the Earth Federation Forces comes repeat mistakes made by the old generations. Some surprises in store for future chapters. "Mobile Suit Gundam" belongs to Bandai/Sunrise.
1. Chapter 1: Phantoms of the Past

Chapter 1: Phantoms of the Past part 1

A young boy running through a grassy field gleefully playing in the daylight of spring, his first time on earth, a milestone in the life of a child born in space, such a welcome change from the limited living environment found in the colonies. The gentle breeze blowing through his wavy blonde hair, the sun glimmering in his blue eyes, he watched with excitement the robins flying from tree top to tree top singing there melody. The boy looked over to see tiger lilies in full bloom, he quickly leapt to his feet and plucked two of the flowers from the ground.

"Altan?" A soothing voice projected from behind. The boy named Altan turned to see a young woman closely approaching him.

"What have you found?" She said with a warm smile upon her beautiful face, tucking her flowing auburn hair behind her ears. The he then shyly handed her the two flowers much to the pleasure of the young woman.

"I... Found them for you mom." His timid voice slipped through his lips, and was greeted by his mother's smile now showing her teeth accompanied by a soft giggle. She dusted off her plum colored spring dress and began to walk back to the early American styled house, the boy quickly rushed to her side and then matched pace with her. Hand in hand the young mother and her son walked together, the first spring they spent together earthside. Soon the image faded away into darkness a dream of a happier time disappeared with the light of the sun rising in the east.

A young man woke to the sight of the peaking sun and slowly sat up from his bed, wearing only a pair of boxers. He looked over to his desk at the alarm clock to see the current time being 6 a.m. exactly when he usually begins each day, Altan Kenloch is 19 years old and has taken over his mother's hotel which she acquired after they immigrated from Side 6. In the years since her death, Altan had fallen into a depression and displayed limited tolerance with some of the guest, most of which being drunken, and boorish Federation Forces soldiers looking only to assert themselves upon the populist in his home town during this time of reform for the military.

Altan dressed for the day and fixed his messy blonde hair he wore a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans he then sat on the edge of his bed to put on his dark brown work boots. After tying the laces he stood and walked toward a photo of his late mother siting just behind it a bronze urn containing her ashes.

"I should have it ready today..." He said quietly to his mother's photograph. "Wish me luck."

He smiled then exited his room and proceeded downstairs to the lobby, to be greeted by a young woman adjusting her blouse and khaki slacks.

"Morning Altan." The red headed woman smiled awkwardly as she took her place behind the front desk. "You know the point of a vacation is to relax right? You've been going non stop for months now!" Altan smirked at his co-worker's concern and shook his head.

"I was just heading to the hangar." He assured the concerned employee. "Jobi and the others are meeting me there to finish our project."

"You're still working on that thing?" She asked in amazement at the diligence they share in the project known only by the few. "So what is it anyway?"

As he readied to exit the hotel, he turned and smiled at the woman coyly.

"You'll see at the air show." He then left the building as the door slowly closed behind him.

"Men and their toys..." She said with a sigh as she gazed dreamily at him through the glass doors.

Altan looked around at the Federation soldiers making their way to the hotel, some of them in standard infantry uniforms and others in the uniquely decorated MHA style, one group broke off and made their way to the cantina one block over, while a few of the MHA officers entered the hotel. He heard unintelligible banter between the soldiers although he overheard them speaking of mobile suits at the airfield.

He smirked knowingly then mounted onto his electric motorcycle and put on his helmet before switching the starter on, he then looked up one more time to see the fading sight of the moon in the dawn sky. He closed the visor then took off, exiting onto the service road going west.

Outside of the town about 10 miles, the Garland base is in the middle of resuppling weapons, ammo and even soldiers. Inside the main building a meeting between two officers and the base's commanding officer takes place regarding a state of the union address held by the Federation's prime minister.

"Sir I implore you! Reconsider the action you're taking!" The voice of the female officer bellowed from the office, concern thick in her voice.

"I'm sorry Lieutenant Commander, even if I was to resend the orders it couldn't be done this far into the operation... These orders are from general staff HQ." The much older commandant of the base spoke calmly to the younger and uptight officer. Her fists clenched tightly and her pulse quickening.

"Commodore, you said your self our base is seriously short staffed after losing many men to Zanscare remnants, but to push what able bodied officer we have left will only lead to disaster! Even with a full compliment of new mobile suits!"

The commodore unhooked the collar of his uniform and took off his glasses, then proceeded to rub the bridge of his nose from the stressful situation.

"Just hear me out Magaela, the fact of the matter is that in the middle of our rearmament we can't afford to wait for new cadets to bring in for training, MHA has partial jurisdiction in this region and they did offer some of their best pilots fresh from the Cheyenne academy. And one of them had been named district security advisor, would that help you and your team get your job done?"

Fed up, she glanced at her subordinate and seen him barely able to keep his eyes open, Ensign Ulrich Franz was transferred from point Kasarelia in Europe and for twelve weeks straight he helped fight against the remaining Zanscare forces and watch his allies fall one by one, though he is no older than 21 his face shows fatigue and age that is present in most veterans who served ten to fifteen years.

"Then I have no option than to request a meeting with Admiral Zachaire at general staff head quarters. Now, if you'd excuse me."

"Just a moment!" The commodore quickly halted Magaela before she could exit his office. "What I am about to tell you is not to leave this room! And I am only saying this on my own accord." He glanced at the surveillance camera in the top left hand corner of the office then turned in his chair to avoid any expressions that might be considered suspicious.

"At 2300 last night, Federation Forces naval base in Belfast was ambushed by unidentifiable mobile suits, they took heavy losses..."

Magaela and Ulrich both gave a look of concern and shock at the Commodore's revelation.

"From the looks on your faces, one rumor is confirmed... That HQ is keeping a lid on the situation, because an attack like this could be damaging to our troop's morale. But what is unnerving is that forty eight hours prior much of Europe, Asia, and Africa were without any wireless communication... Not even weather radar was working due to an alarmingly high concentration of Minovsky particles in the affected areas. Additionally a reconnaissance team was dispatched to attempt to locate the source of the communications jam."

He grabbed his coffee mug from the corner of his desk and took a sip of his undoubtedly scotched morning brew.

"The team of recon mobile suits were in the vicinity of the attack, as it was underway. But they received no distress call, no word from surrounding barracks either... Anyone who has possession of this information have been completely spooked, and are taking subtle measures in keeping this incident quiet. Not even the families of the troops confirmed KIA are aware of what happened."

"Then... Shouldn't the base be kept on high alert status?"

He glanced at her in his peripheral view at the calm but cautious field commander. He then finished his coffee in one large gulp then sighed from clumsily concealed frustration and disappointment.

"With the situation at hand, putting the base on combat status will run the risk of exposure of the attack on Belfast... But I want you to keep me advised, every hour report back to me directly! Remember to use a landline."

She raised an eyebrow at the latter statement.

"Why landline sir?" The Ensign inquired.

"Look at your phones..." He answered.

Both took their phones from their pockets to see they're phones had zero reception even with the aide of an external signal booster on base.

"All wireless communication and networks are down, even out radar and sensor equipment is jammed... Minovsky particles flooding all electronic systems. Just as indicated by the reports."

"So, we're vulnerable to a sneak attack?" Magaela asked.

The commodore gave no straight answer only sat up from his chair and walked to the window facing the mountain ranges his age shown in his physique.

"It seems that brighter future never came... I wonder if Zeon Deikun's newtype theory was just that, a theory..."

The two younger officers looked at each other then Magaela motioned Ulrich to exit their commander's office. Before she turned to exit, she looked back at him and the feeling of forlorn filled the air around the three.

"Commodore Riordan? If I may ask sir..."

"Go ahead."

"Your son was stationed at Belfast wasn't he?"

Commodore Riordan remained silent, a clear sign that his son was one of the casualties of the attack.

"My apologies sir..."

"Tomorrow Captain Hans Baptiste will be taking my place until I return from Ireland. And yes Lieutenant Commander, you and Ensign Ulrich are dismissed." Both saluted their superior and left the room, to allow him to reflect. "What times we live in, still rely on kids to fight our battles, and something intangible can undo the technology we take for granted."

Outside of the main building, the officers discussed their preparations for what is considered a very dangerous situation, knowing full well the magnitude of what may happen if any hostiles were to attack the base without any active warning systems or any communication to the base from any scouts in the fields.

"Ensign Ulrich, take this time to get some rest, you deserve at least that." With her statement Ulrich loosened his collar and unzipped his uniform half way and released a loud groan.

"Thanks commander, as much as I enjoy serving under you, that cockpit would feel like a coffin!" He laughed out loud, she shared in the levity with a smile. "So what's the plan?"

"I'll be heading into town, if anything I'll be getting my old team ready."

"You mean the Strike Banshees?" He asked fanatically.

"Who else?" She answered with a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "However one is stationed at Torrington and the other hasn't pilot a mobile suit in five years."

"Not sure if I like the sound of that, but you know what you're doing." He said nervously. A smirked scrolled across her face at his comment and she followed with a sharp but friendly slap against his back.

"Get some rest Ensign..." She said as she walked off, only to pause at the sight of the motley assortment of new mobile suits, one in particular, the menacing machine bearing the model number RGM-175, the red visor sheened in the sunlight.

 _-Author notes- This is my first fanfiction excuse any errors that you may find. Feel free to leave comments or pm me with any questions about the story. Thank you. T0X_


	2. Chapter 1: Phantoms of the Past pt 2

Chapter 1: Phantoms of the Past part 2

The hangar was originally used by the Federation prior to the Crossbone Vanguard uprising, since then it was acquired by a property manager who then donated it to Hennah Kenloch as a thanks for her help in the redevelopment of their home city of Sierra Vista. Since then Altan and his fellow mobile suit enthusiast friends made it their workshop. Their current project is a relic of the past given to them as a challenge to test their mechanical prowess.

A group of four all around Altan's age waited impatiently against the bay doors waiting for their friend who had the key to the doors. They looked up to the sound of gravel crunching against tires and the quiet hum of an electric engine, the motorcycle's rider dismounted then walked toward them as he removed his helmet.

"Where have you been!?" One of the men exclaimed.

"Didn't anyone teach you lot patience?" Altan remarked as he pulled the keys from his pocket. He proceeded to the other side of the hangar and unlocked the door allowing them all entrance into the enormous, and weathered building. Inside was a plethora of computers, digital diagrams with layouts of the machine they worked tirelessly to complete, various tools, jumpsuits and safety equipment. But the true object of attention was the large flatbed trailer occupied by their project, covered by tarps.

Right away the group put on a mechanic's jumpsuit, each one fit over their everyday clothes and was very well ventilated. The young woman walked over to the panel box and pushed a switch upward which activated the ceiling lights, one by one the fluorescents came on giving them ideal lighting for their workspace.

"Allegro, boot up the diagnostic kiosk and hook it up to the suit's computer, make sure the cockpit hatch isn't locking up." The taller young man said as he and Altan climbed onto the trailer.

"Got it!" Allegro said with much excitement, as he put on his heat resistant gloves, then grabbed the equipment from the workbench to his left.

"Jobi? Where's the fluid pulse checker?" The young woman asked as she looked frantically for the tool she needed.

"Have you checked the box?" He asked in turn.

"Nevermind! Found it!"

Altan smiled and shook his head at the antics of his good friends as they all scramble to get started on the finishing touches to what they have under the tarps. He and Jobi then began to remove the tarps starting first with the end furthest from the entrance, after they removed all the nylon and kevlar sheets, revealed was a mobile suit from the One Year War, one used by the Principality of Zeon. The mobile suit was a Zaku, one customized for an ace pilot. It's red armor beautifully restored by the group of friends. Though it was over one hundred years old the work it needed was fairly minimal considering it's pedigree, one that dates back to one of the most chaotic times in human history.

Every single time before they start the day to work on the red Zaku, they pause in awe of this tangible piece of history, but the one seemingly drawn to it the most was Altan, he stepped up onto the upper body and peered at the monoeye sensor then kneeled to examine the vulcans in it's chest. He felt the rifling in the barrels and much to his and Jobi's surprise, powder residue came off on his finger tips.

 _"Why does this Zaku always feel so familiar to me?"_ Altan felt himself slipping into a daze as he began to hear the sounds of his surroundings and his freinds' words began to fade as the sounds of battle, the sounds of mega particle cannons firing, and violent explosions rang in his ears, then an image of the same Zaku flash before his eyes it's monoeye glowing fiercely. As fast as the image appeared, it disappeared as Jobi's hand touched his shoulder bringing him back to reality.

"Altan? Are you alright?" Jobi asked out of genuine concern.

"Yeah, sorry I spaced out for a second." Altan said anxiously.

"Like the last thousand times?" Allegro said with a scoff.

The group laughed off the situation and continued to finalize the restoration of the Zaku, Altan however thought back to the recurring mental images and dreams that plagued him since his childhood and wondered if he was on the verge of madness.

Simultaneously two men observed the activity at the Garland base from one of the observation towers through binoculars, one was a tall man roughly 35 years old the other was a man of average height and around the same age, they were guarded by a Federation Forces sharpshooter, a sign of their rank especially for the tall man who wore a suit instead of a military uniform.

"It's obvious what's happening, with the attack on Belfast, MHA are nagging general staff head quarters for further authority... You can tell with the number of their specialized mobile suits against the number of Gun-EZs. They plan to take command of this outpost as a starting point..." The man in a highly decorated officer's uniform said as he observed on at the black and blue mobile suits brought in one by one and the trailer trucks leaving single file.

"What can the attack and MHA be linked?" The man in the suit asked the soldier.

"It's possible, at this point nothing can be ruled out. But I believe they had a hand in instigating the attackers, those cloaked mobile suits are a clear indication of the idea of antagonism on their part."

"So, if MHA are trying to start a war. What is their to gain from it?"

The soldier looked back at his obviously inexperienced colleague with a cleaver smirk on his face.

"Everything... Those who control the Federation government, control it all... Admiral Ezra Koenig took over MHA knowing full well what he wished to do with it, and that's to prove our regular forces are incompetent. To that end the prime minister will grant them military authority."

"But before that can happen, the members of the cabinet must approve of appointing them emergency power." The man countered the soldier's theory.

"Unless, the Admiral was to coerce the prime minister into declaration of martial law..."

With that said the man's confidence and optimism fled him.

"Which is why I called you here Vice Chairman... I'd like you to observe the behavior of all MHA operatives and their commanders. Isn't that part of your job as head of Federation Forces public relations?" The vice chairman looked at the soldier with surprise and reacted as if a major secret was exposed to the world.

"No one is supposed to know I'm here... Unless advised by general staff head quarters otherwise." He said quietly as he clenched the soldier's shoulder, much to the displeasure of the man with far more experience with military matters than the vice chairman.

"You didn't hear me... Right petty officer?" He asked the sharpshooter with a tone in his voice that sounded friendly but an right minded soldier would know that it meant _'say one word and i'll personally kill you!' ._

"N-No sir!" The sharpshooter said nervously, his eyes hidden by goggles but his expression was still stark.

"Good, at ease petty officer." The nameless soldier said as he placed his black baret upon his head, covering his black hair which had traces of gray, a proud symbol of his experience. "Gentlemen, I guess I'll make my way down and greet our new recruits... No need for an escort." He then made his way down the stairs to exit the tower and out into the open.

"Very interesting man that one is..." The vice chairman commented.

"Need me to contact the guard to escort you vice chairman Stefan?" The rifleman inquired.

"No need, I was supposed to be meeting with Rear Admiral Kitsune Mizoguchi, but it seems that he's running late..." The soldier looked at chairman Stefan with confusion, then pointed out the window at the man he just talked with.

"You just did sir." He commented.

Perplexed, the vice chairman looked at the nameless soldier, now confirmed to be the officer he was supposed to meet with.

"His name suits him, Kitsune is Japanese for fox isn't it?"

"I guess so sir." Stefan looked on as Commodore Riordan and another officer salute the rear admiral. Amused by his eccentricity, but admired his ability to change when the time calls for it, at first he dawns the guise of a cheerful jester, then sheds the shroud to reveal a beast, a predator quietly stocking it's prey.

Suddenly an enormous shadow was cast upon the base capturing the attention of all personnel on the grounds, even some leaving the hangar and the barracks, every man and woman on base gazed at the sky to see the source of the shadow.

"She's finally made it..." Kitsune said to himself. Stefan with his fedora on and coat collar up to conceal himself walked up to him struggling to keep his hat on as he looked up in awe at the sight hovering overhead.

"Rear Admiral is that!?" Stefan asked as the roar of an engine grew louder.

"Yes vice chairman, that's the new warship, Pegasus Neo... It's captained by a hero from the Zanscare war." Stefan looked at Kitsune and then back to the ship as it's landing gears deployed readying for contact with the earth.

"I've heard rumors about her... But that's all."

"Great woman, at times she's hard to work with, but she's earned her stubborness. A survivor of the second worst conflict in history. Marbet Fingerhat."

The afternoon came in swiftly, after a long day of running the final tests on the red mobile suit Altan was ready to end his day and anticipate the days to come leading to the test flight of the Zaku. After returning to the hotel, he took off his helmet and began walking to the doors, only to kick an empty beer bottle much to his annoyance there were a few more strewn about. He sighed at the sight and continued onward, until he bumped into a female MHA operative causing Altan to drop his helmet and the sold to drop her duffle bag.

"I'm so sorry!" She said with a kindness he has never found in any MHA officers he had dealt with.

"No worries, let me get that for you." Altan returned the kindness. The young woman caught a glance at Altan then gazed at him longer to get a good look at his face.

"Altan?" She called him by name, seeking confirmation from the young man. He looked up at the soldier and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yes?"

She smiled brightly at his revelation and nearly lost her ability to contain her excitement. She took off her baret to better explain herself.

"It's me, Tiria Brenland!" Altan gazed at her in silence.

"We used to play together as kids!" He gazed longer at her, not from lack of memory rather a realization of how many years have passed so quickly, that his childhood friend had grown up to be a woman, and to his viewing pleasure, an attractive one.

"You don't remember me..." She remarked in disappointment.

"Of course I remember you Tiria, just... It's been ten years since I last heard from you."

Both shared a smile as they stood up and smiled at each other, Altan carrying her bag, and Tiria holding his helmet. They looked each other over as they seen the result of the past decade. What soon caught his attention was her rank insignia, one bold bar and three diamond shaped gold pieces placed across the bar, indicating the rank of Lieutenant.

"Wow, so you're a ranking officer?" He asked, thoroughly impressed by his old friend's accomplishments.

"Yeah, right after I graduated from the academy, I was recruited by MHA." She said with an emanate blush beginning to fill her cheeks. "And for nine months, I've been on mission after mission."

"No kidding?" He commented as they continued to walk to the hotel entrance, they entered the doors and walked toward the counter where Altan's co-worker was talking with another woman. Tiria looked around at the hotel lobby and the memories of childhood flooded her being with joy before stopping at the she stopped at the antique furniture in the lounge area and pressed her hand onto the plush upholstery of the ottoman and with that she smiled and looked at Altan who likewise smiled at the moment she had in gentle reflection.

"Just the way I remembered it... It's great to be back..."

"Thomas Nguyen? I believe he is in room 208, may I ask who you are ma'am?" She asked the woman with dyed red hair, dressed in bohemian styled clothing.

"Magaela Nguyen, his wife. I just wanted to check on him..." She in a seemingly genuine tone as she gave the young woman a warm smile.

"Oh of course ma'am let me call his room for you." She picked up the receiver to the desk phone and dialed the attachment to room 208 and waited for an answer. "Huh... No answer.."

"That's alright, I'll find him, that was room 208 right?" Lieutenant Commander Magaela said as she proceeded upstairs to the second floor.

"Ma'am wait!" She scrambled as she tried in vain to follow her up with the extra key. She groaned in frustration at the stubborness of the woman.

She turned to see Altan and Tiria at the front desk talking, she then was overcame with a burning envy over the girl that had the attention on the object of her affections, however she kept calm and made her way over to the duo with a welcoming smile.

"Hey Altan! Who's your friend!?" She said with a false cheerfulness in her voice.

"I'm Tiria, nice to meet you miss.." She politely introduced herself.

"Rose Christoph." She said boldly to Tiria who smirked at her obvious attempts of asserting herself. A cloud of tension formed as the two young women met eyes in a mental showdown.

"Rose?" Altan called to her cautiously attempting to break the focus of the ill-tempered redhead.

"Yes Altan?" Immediately her mood shifted back to a kind, even jovial state.

"Could you please book Tiria a room?"

"Oh! Certainly! Right this way." The three then proceeded with Altan and Tiria following behind the much too eager Rose.

"Sorry... She gets this way sometimes." Altan said quietly to his old friend trying to assure her and at the same time defend his co-worker.

"Don't be, I can tell she's a discerning manager." She said with a smile.

On the second floor of the building, Magaela looks at every room number until quickly arriving at her stop, room 208. She taps on the door to no avail. She knocked louder in an attempt to get the attention of her husband just beyond the door, again met with failure. Her third attempt involved sharp blows to the door with the side of her tightly clenched fist which was met with loud grumbles and shuffling on the other side of the hardwood door.

"I'm coming damn it!" The man's voice grew louder as he approached the door.

Magaela crossed her arms as she awaited her husband at the door way she leaned against.

"Who the hell is it!?" He said through the cracked door.

"Who do you think? Dumb ass!"

She smirked at the sound of him hitting the floor echoed in the room, he then quickly and comically stammered to his feet and opened the door to his calm yet still annoyed spouse. He emerged from his dark room wearing a navy blue tank top, and a pair of pajama pants, his chest lightly peppered with body hair. His long, messy, black hair partially covered his green eyes; his goatee better kept than he himself. Despite not having pilot a mobile suit in five years, Thomas Nguyen was well trimmed and in shape, however he may yet be conditioned enough to pilot again.

"Hey! H-Hows it going babe!?" He grinned as he beheld the vision of his estranged wife who mothered his three children.

"You haven't changed at all Lieutenant Junior Grade..."

"Why so formal?" He said as she walked past him to enter his room, to the smell of burning incense sticks, a half empty bottle of Wild Turkey on the table, and numerous photos of he, Magaela, their children, and older military photos all across the area showing her that though they drifted from each other for two years, he still cared for his family. However trauma from the battlefield took a toll on his psyche and left him to deal with the stress and depression in his own way.

She moved a stray news paper from his chair and sat down crossing one leg over the other.

"Sit down." She said in a stern authoritative tone.

"Well, so demanding!" He quipped, at the expense of her no nonsense veil and followed up with a scoff.

She gazed at him in a way that he realized, she didn't have time for shenanigans or his usual brand of humor. His smile quickly melted away knowing that her expression was that of dire straits, he looked both directions of the hallway then locked the door as quick as he possibly could. He sat at the foot of his bed facing her and leaned close to assure her that he was listening to what she had to say.

"What's the problem?" He noticed that she rubbed her temples from the stress of the situation the Federation was currently in, automatically he feared the worst, that their children were in grave danger.

"The kids!?" He began to panic.

"The kids are fine, if they weren't I wouldn't be as composed... I'd be sitting next to you in a miserable heap.." Thomas sighed loudly in relief knowing their three offspring were safe from harm, still at the childcare facility at Cheyenne.

"Then what is it?"

Magaela's expression changed to that of one he had seen once before, in times of battle she always gave an gaze of cold intensity, that very few had seen, one that earned her the climb in ranks and the repute of an ace pilot.

"Magaela?" Knowing what might be coming, that same intensity reflected in his own eyes, the soldier he once was, had began to awaken through his semi-neglected veneer.

The dining area was filling with the guest and tenets of the hotel as the evening sets in and the air began to cool, Altan was sitting at the bar with Tiria who changed into her casual wear, a pair of sneakers, a blue t-shirt that fit her small frame nicely and black shorts, they talked about the past decade and caught up to speed with each other as they drank a glass of ice water together and listened in on the merriment of the guest, including the drunken levity between the MHA officers and regular Federation troops, all participating in talks of ventures with the younger female population in Sierra Vista, much to the chagrin of some of the guest listening in to their vulgarity, many took their leave before food could be served. One soldier in particular began to wear on Altan as he listened in on his ceaseless babel.

"Yeah! I looked at her... Pulled her close!" He pulled Rose close to him to initiate a demonstration of could only be described as unacceptable behavior to any person much less a teenage girl of which he bragged about her looks the entire time he was there.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Rose shouted in displeasure.

"Then I looked her right in her eyes." She looked into his blue eyes and took enough of a look to see that on the surface he was a handsome man, brown hair dyed blonde, facial hair just on the chin, attractive all around. But within him, was a sexist, overbearing and arrogant man.

"Then I gave her a nice little squeeze!" With that he firmly grabbed her bottom. Leading to a sharp slap from Rose across his face.

"Screw yourself shit for brains!" Rose's appropriate alias for the soldier made, not only he and his party fall silent, but everyone still present in the dining room.

"Oh well... You win some you lose some!" The soldier's comment lead to he and the other MHA officers sitting with him to erupt into echoing laughter. "Hey red! Why don't you bring us some more beer!?" Rose turned to Altan and Tiria and mouthed the soldier's statement in a mocking gesture and slammed a pitcher down under the tap and began to fill it with the amber ale.

"Nah nah! None of that dog piss! Bring us your best!" He shouted as he continued his mindless banter with his peers. Earning a glare of pure loathing from Rose, Altan gave his own gaze of disapproval to the boorish soldier.

"That's enough Ensign Patrick!" Tiria barked at her subordinate.

"My apologies Lieutenant!" He said followed by a salute as insincere and empty as his apologetic comment.

She sighed and looked at Altan and Rose then shook her head at the embarrassing situation with her comrade.

"I'm sorry, both of you..." She apologized kindly to her friend and his co-worker.

"Next time keep your dog on a leash! Rose exclaimed as she gathered mugs for the present party including Ensign Patrick Caan.

Thomas turned the lights in the room on to better discuss the desperate situation the Federation Forces and their MHA taskforce. The fact that war my break out again has crossed their minds, but maintained the hope that war can be avoidable.

"I can't believe Belfast fell so easily..." Thomas propped his chin on his closed hand as he pondered reconnaissance stills on a paper thin electronic tablet.

"Those photos where taken this morning and sent directly to Commodore Riordan, then sent to me." Magaela stated.

"Death toll?"

"Not sure at the moment, three hundred ninety personnel and only a handful are accounted for. It's suspected that only a quarter of the total census survived..." Unnerved, Thomas tightened his grip on the tablet causing it to wrinkle under his fingers.

"What's more unsettling is the probability... That our own forces had instigated this attack."

Thomas gazed at the tablet once more, and scrolled through the photos before stopping on a zoomed picture of soldiers gathered around a discarded mobile suit sized weapon, a beam machine gun.

"That isn't a BESPA produced weapon... So it's not the Pacific remnants... This looks nothing like I've seen before."

"Remember the raid launched by MHA ten years ago?" Magaela's query caught Thomas's attention as if he was following the same trail of thought she was on.

"The one on Side 3? Yeah, it was a huge scandal."

"The people of Side 3 still hold dear the philosophies of Zeon Deikun, and the leader of Side 3's capital being born on earth didn't understand why the people gathered around the old statue of Deikun. What they were doing, was praying for the day that his ideals would come to pass. This made the officials frightened beyond rational thought. Instead of them sending out local authorities, they went right for the throat, and sent for the Manhunters. Which resulted in civilian casualties..." Thomas looked upon his wife's somber expression as she gazed out his window. She held a shot glass horizontally to symbolize a space colony.

"After MHA finished it's task, they withdrawn from the capital colony without any other word. The dead was left for local authorities to identify and process and that was that. They reported that the gathering was an anti-government protest and began to elevate to a riot and a casualty was reported, so MHA sent two mobile suits and fifty ground troops to pacify it. However when the Federation Forces intelligence bureau investigated the incident, with witness testimony, surveillance footage, and finally numerous autopsy reports. The so called riot never happened, the group proclaimed 'Sieg Zeon' as means of celebration for Deikun's theory. And the damming evidence against MHA, they attacked without warning using live ammunition. Since then they lost jurisdiction of Sides 2, 3, and 5 but disciplinary action was never taken, which infuriated the inhabitants of Side 3."

Magaela placed the glass down and turned with a frustrated sigh. Then sat down once again.

"The Federation Government has no idea what they've gotten themselves into... And they'll take all of us down with them but that would be the price to pay for ignorance." Her words entrapped Thomas which lead him to gaze into the evening sky slowly fading to an orangy hue.

The dining room was sparsely populated and thinking more and more with the increasingly obnoxious behavior of the soldiers, and Altan only looked on with a cold gaze at Ensign Patrick Caan for the two had a history of tension, starting with his constant disrespect, and ill-regard for others. But Altan would grow to despise the Ensign when he behaved inappropriately toward his late mother.

"Hey Altan, I thought we ran a hotel... Not a home for Feddie flunkies!" Rose laughed at her own joke, even engaged Tiria in a laugh, which drawn a smile from Altan.

"Shut up bitch!" The portly soldier shouted with a drunken slur, to the increasingly frustrated Rose. Patrick stammered to his feet as he left to the lobby and soon returned, this time manhandling the antique ottoman.

"Sir your not supposed to have that in here!" Rose shouted demandingly at the Ensign. Not heading the words of the manager he continued to place the footrest parallel to the table in front of the chair he occupied.

"Hey! Asshole! Put the furniture back in the lobby now!" Realizing he wouldn't listen to civilized manner of speaking, Rose resorted to profane retorts to attempt to reason with him, but those words too fell on deaf ears.

"Just wanted to rest my feet! I actually work for a living." As he placed his dusty boots on the ottoman, Altan's gaze shifted to an icy stare, his anger then turned to a quiet rage.

"Hey! How about another round!?" The Ensign shouted, leading his colleagues in a drunken chant. Too far deep in inebriation he bumped his elbow into his half full mug of beer, spilling the alcohol onto the ottoman Altan's mother worked tirelessly to restore, was ruined before his eyes.

At that moment, Altan's hands began to shake in maddening rage, he had enough of the soldiers and their constant disrespect, and was ready to put a swift end to their games.

"Stupid tables are too small!" He remarked. "Hey red! Need a refill!"

Rose then opened a new bottle to serve the obnoxious customer for the only reason being, he paid for the expenses for himself and his team of ignoramuses.

"Hey kid! What's the matter? You act like you're pissed off!" Patrick's comment led the other occupants at the table laugh loudly.

"That's enough Ensign! I mean it!" Tiria attempted to cease up the raving of the MHA soldier by ways of addressing it through Ensign Patrick.

"Altan, I'm sorry. I'll help you clean it." Tiria said politely trying with all her will to bring him out of his frustrated state. He grasped an unopened bottle and an opener then proceeded toward the Ensign.

"Altan calm down! Don't do anything rash!" Rose frantically tried reaching out to him to seemingly no avail.

"Thanks kid I never could hold my liquor!" He chuckled at his own pun as he noticed Altan looking down at the beer soaked ottoman. The noxious fumes of fermented hops and barley filled his nostrils which only elevated his frustration further. He looked back at the Ensign then opened the bottle without his sights leaving the drunkard.

"Hey... No hard feelings right?" He chuckled nervously as he reached for the bottle of ale slowly coming towards him, only to watch as Altan slowly emptied the bottle onto the ensign's lap quickly soaking it.

All eyes watched on, the smirk on Ensign Patrick's face slowly faded to a frown. Rose covered her mouth attempting to hide a smile. Tiria prepared for what is inevitably a foregone conclusion. Patrick's brows furrowed and looked Altan in the eye, preparing to put the young man in his place.

"Alright kid, you have one serious attitude problem!" With no words, Altan quickly shattered the glass bottle over the Ensign's left cheek. Lacerating his skin.

"God damn! You bastard! You ruined my face!" Before he could finish speaking, Altan planted his booted foot in the Ensign's face making him fly backward in his seat. The brawl quickly elevated with the others getting up from their seats to aide the outmatched ensign.

"You got a death wish or something? You punk!" The portly soldier squeezed Altan's shoulder tightly, earning only a wide and furious gaze. Altan's blue eyes when in anger had an intensity that could cut through ones soul, a frightening sight to anyone who would cross with the otherwise kind, reserved, and confident young man.

 _"He's not human!"_ The soldier thought to himself as he then felt a radiating pain in his belly region to see that the young man rammed his elbow sharply into his abdomen, causing him to stumble back and void his bladder. Ensign Patrick then stammered his way up, blood dripping from the gash to his cheek, wobbly from a mixture of over drinking and the kick to his mouth.

"Get out, NOW!" Altan demanded, standing firm and tall waiting for anything that may come of the conflict.

"You gonna make me you little shit!?" He raised his hands in fisticuffs ready to end the squabble.

Both Magaela and Thomas walked the hall past the preceding rooms and approached the stairs during the debriefing they felt the aches of hunger and decided to join other guest in the dining area.

"After you m'lady." Thomas exaggerated a curtsey to allow his wife down the stairs before him earning a light laugh from Magaela.

"Well aren't you quite the gentleman!" She responded with a false upper class accent. They then proceeded downstairs to the lobby while discussing what steps to take in the coming days.

"Have you contacted Hilde?" He asked.

"She's coming in from Torrington and should be here by tomorrow evening."

"Torrington..." Thomas's recollection of the base in Australia and left a bitter taste in his mouth as the thought of the hot, and dry air, and the intense combat with fending off remaining Zanscare's BESPA forces in that region, and the resulting exhaustion from the countless hours of fighting, the memories to the current day still caused him to shudder. "Thanks but no thanks, no offense to her but, better her than me."

"Well, she seemed very happy with my call... And by the way, prepare for a lecture!" She laughed as they walk toward the front desk only to be met by the wailing of a man thrown from the dining room door way and into a wooden bookshelf which was reduced to splinters upon impact.

"What the hell!?" Thomas exclaimed watching the soldier collide with the shelf and struggle to stand as the young hotel owner steadily approached him.

The Ensign finally able to stand, grasped a piece of the shelf to use as a weapon against his opposition. He raised a war cry before swinging the splintered wood at Altan who managed to dodge every swipe of the crude weapon. Patrick's anger and frustration only lessened his accuracy and strength, even his judgement lapsed as the fight dragged on, he finally raised the object one last time only to be met with a right hook punch by Altan then a left jab, followed by two more alternating hooks then another jab to his nose bloodying it. Finally Altan finished his assault with a right uppercut yielding the power of a pistol fire, throwing the ensign off his feet and hitting the cold tiled floor.

In the dining room one of Ensign Patrick's companions readied a combat knife to take action against the unknowing Altan. As he prepared to charge after the young man, he felt a dainty hand rest on his shoulder, he turned to see Tiria angered by the situation and most importantly the fact that one of her own allies would willing take the life of a civilian.

"I'm disappointed cadet!" She said with deep shame in her comrades. Then quickly she balled her fist making contact with his nose, dislocating it, and disarming him of his weapon. He lain on his side doubled over in pain as he covered his profusely bleeding nose.

"At ease." Tiria remarked.

She looked over at Rose, who was in a stupor over the young lieutenant's surprising strength.

"Are you alright?" Tiria asked from genuine concern.

"Yeah, I'm not hurt or anything."

Both looked over at Altan who crouched down to grab the same long piece of shelf that Ensign Patrick once wielded.

"Ah Shit!" Rose exclaimed as she quickly left the bar.

"Altan no!" Tiria followed as she arrived to the same conclusion that Rose undoubtedly foreseen.

Battered, bloody, and bruised the ensign slowly raised from his back held up by his knees and elbows. Groaning from pain he tried with his might to see where he was and failed as he was dizzied from the blows to his face. He looked up to see Altan looming over him holding the large fragment of hardwood.

"Had enough yet punk?" Patrick groggily mumbled, in an alcohol driven confusion he believed that he was the one who had the upper hand in the bout.

Saying nothing Altan raised the fragment and delivered a powerful strike to the soldier's upper back, searing pain tore through his false bravado and he belted a scream of torture.

"Altan stop! He's done!" Rose shouted, but her cry fell short.

Altan continued staring down his opponent in a predatory way, his senses clouded by rage. He look upon the nearly split instrument and back at the ensign in a pathetic state, reflecting the true coward he was, Altan recalled the behavior Patrick had displayed toward his late mother, the lude, vulgar innuendos that were projected from his tongue. His eyes widened with yet another pulse of rage and with a growl from his throat he raised the fragmented wood again ready for as many strikes it would take to satisfy the primal urge within his being.

"Stop Altan! STOP IT!" Tiria screamed. "This isn't you! Come back!"

A beam of light finally parted the clouds in Altan's mind, his arm dropped and he released his grip on his weapon, he turned to see Rose and Tiria both shaken by his violent act. Tiria's eyes were glassy from watching her friend in such a frightening sight, the seasoned veteran was fearful for Altan and now scorned for what could have driven him to such a terrible state. He looked to see the damage around him and the witnesses with stunned expressions. Then finally he looked at below and seen Patrick Caan beaten brutally, groaning in agony, he seen a single tear drop stream down his cheek, Altan realized at that moment that he had gone too far.

Tiria approached Altan and embraced him trying to comfort him as he felt the pain of regret fill his core.

"Altan?" She said softly. The light in his eyes returned as he sighed from the distressing moment.

"I'm sorry... I didn't want this to happen..." Altan's voice returned to the deep soothing tone he always shown both Tiria and Rose helped him to the antique chair by the desk, then Rose rushed to get a glass of ice water for Altan. "I don't know what came over me, I promise you I have no clue."

"It's okay Altan. Don't apologize to me, I should apologize to you for my men's behavior." Tiria spoke to him calmly joyful that her friend was himself again.

Thomas and Magaela helped the ensign to his feet and watched as one by one the other soldiers lined up by their injured comrade.

"Lieutenant Commander Magaela! Lieutenant Tiria! I want to see that psycho behind bars!" Ensign Patrick exclaimed. With his statement she delivered a strong slap across his face.

"Ah! God damn it you bitch!" Again the ensign received another strong slap from the increasingly angry lieutenant commander.

"One more word ensign and you'll have insubordination added to your charges!"

"That punk picked a fight with us ma'am! He started it!" The scrawny officer lied blatantly much higher ranked Magaela as he comically covered his broken nose with a bandana.

"Witness testimony will say the contrary cadet!" Tiria shouted as she stood and quickly proceeded to the others. "I'll be back Altan." She said to her troubled friend kindly.

"And might I add drawing a knife to use against a civilian!?" Magaela, and Thomas shot icy glares at the cadet, as he grown abruptly silent, confirming guilt.

"I will file a report in the morning, and I expect that guy to be sent to jail!" He said with bitter contempt for the young man, Altan returned a glare toward the ensign as he held his glass of water.

"A beloved member of the community, and a well respected businessman, and a Federation officer with a highly dubious record, and a history of violent behavior. Plus! You have several witnesses who are more than willing to cooperate with any investigation committee members who have questions for them." Magaela scoffed after hearing Ensign Patrick, after considering the behavior he displayed she called his bluff.

"All of you are to return to base until further notice, understood!?" Magaela barked earning fast response from the soldiers whom quickly stood at attention.

"Ma'am!" They shouted in unison.

"You, all of you! Are a disgrace to the Federation... Now get out of my sight!"

With that the soldiers turned and began to exit the building only to pause when the blackened and bloody Ensign Patrick turned nervously to the three who outranked him.

"How do you suppose we get back!?" He said in a tone of frustration.

"Run back, shit stains!" Magaela shouted in an attempt to assert her rank, which proven fruitful, for one by one they frantically shot through the door way both the ensign and the cadet bump their wounds against the crowd of six MHA officers, crying out in pain as the entirety fled the hotel.

"I thought this was the military, not daycare!" Thomas remarked. Magaela shook her head and smirked at her husband's comment.

"Altan Kenloch?" She called the young man by his name. He looked up at her with a stressful expression.

"You have my full apologies for my ally's inexcusable behavior, disciplinary action will be taken, contrary to the ensign's I assure you will not be held against you." Magaela spoke kindly to Altan as he drank the rest of his water.

"My mother built this hotel from nothing, it was her pride. I will not allow someone no matter who they may be, taking advantage of our hospitality."

"Nor should you." Thomas added.

"Will you be staying lieutenant commander?" Asked Tiria.

"No, I need to get back to base. I have alot to do come morning." Magaela looked at Thomas as he made eye contact with her.

"You coming?" Magaela asked.

"I'll be there in the morning." Thomas quickly answered.

"0900, no later. That should give you time to prepare."

"Yes ma'am!" He said coyly with a salute.

"Lieutenant Commander." Tiria stated with a salute.

As she grabbed her messenger bag and pulled the strap over her shoulder, Magaela saluted the two and then exited the hotel.

"Still quite the fox!" Thomas said to himself admiring Magaela as she walked to her car.

Night came quickly, with the aide of the clouds that quickly rolled in from the south, thunder echoed in the distance, a sign that a storm was on approach. Altan finished cleaning the ottoman and returned it to it's rightful place. Now, nearly no evidence of the brawl between him and Patrick remained, only a vacant spot where the bookshelf used to be. Now it's remains rest in a waste bin at the back of the building.

"Hey, I'm heading home, are you sure you've got it Altan?"

"Yeah, it's slowing down now."

"I can stay longer if you need me to." She paused as she felt Altan's hand rest on her tense shoulder.

"You've had a rough day, get some rest."

Touched but not surprised by Altan's kindness, her stubborness quickly left her and a smile of appreciation sprawled out on her face lightly freckled face. As she walked out of the rear exit, Rose gave her good-night to the cook then closed the door behind her.

Altan returned the cleaning supplies to the supply room and locked the door officially ending his day, exhausted from helping with maintenance on the Zaku and the conflict with the ensign he proceeded upstairs to the third floor and walked the hallway at a steady pace. He glanced ahead to see Tiria her hair wet and messy, and a towel draped over her shoulders she was now wearing a black tank top and a pair of salmon colored very short length shorts with black stripes. Her figure caught his eye and reminded him that they weren't the children they used to be, that she too bared the charms and 'assets' of a woman.

"Hey Altan, just finished?" She asked with the same warm smile that she had shown him the entire time since reuniting.

"I helped close the kitchen down, cleaning mom's ottoman luckily didn't take up too much time." He smiled through his fatigue at his dear friend who periodically checked back on him ever since the fight. "Need anything before I head to my room?"

"Nah, I was just walking around, my legs tend to get restless from time to time."

"What time do you go back to the base?" He asked curiously.

"Not for a while, I'm on shore leave." She answered gleefully the time she spent on active duty made her a bit over eager for a short time for rest.

"Well, I'm glad I'll get to see you for a a good while at least." They both smiled warmly. Hearing Altan's words provoked a firm hugging embrace from Tiria, much to his surprise.

"I missed you, for ten years I missed you and this place. I only wish I got to see Hennah before she."

"I know, she would've loved to see you again too." Altan quickly countered her statement as they broke their embrace.

" Good night Tiria." He said kindly.

"Good night Altan." She replied.

As they walked in opposite directions, both felt a lingering warmth left behind by their touch. Altan walked a short distance before arriving to his room, the plate on his door read -owner-. He unlocked the door and entered without hesitation, he stared at his bed with tired eyes, after taking off his boots he fell hard onto the bed and thrashed about to find a position he could lay in to ease into comfort. He finally lain on his back then turned to gaze at the photo of he and his mother celebrating his early graduation from high school.

"Good night mom..." He said quietly before turning off his desk lamp. He looked out the window as the rumble of distant thunder drawn closer by the moment, he turned on his side facing the window. He sighed from frustration then slowly drifted off to slumber.

The mountain ranges luminated from the flashes of lightning the echoing thunder amplified by the vallies and leaves of the trees swayed gently in the wind. Slowly drop by drop the rain made its attendance in this concert orchestrated by Gaia herself, hidden in the shadows of the mountains, three giant figures became exposed by the lightning, the wind caused the cloth like cloaks to lightly flutter, the giants were mobile suits. Another three slowly walked toward the others. The forward facing machine rest it's manipulator hand against the enormous rock which dwarves even mobile suits. The cloaked mobile suit peaked around to gain a clear view, the panoramic monitor had given generations of pilots more of an edge in combat allowing faster response time. The computer highlighted the dimly lit city of Sierra Vista and automatically assessed the area as non-combative. While the other immensely lit area registered as Garland base, the pilot engaged the zoom of the main camera getting a clear view of the Federation's and their MHA taskforce's new model mobile suits one being the RX-0179 code named March Hare, and just beyond, the newest warship Pegasus Neo. The wind and rain began to pick up generating a howl and the droplets fell heavy upon the land and the metallic giants the flashing lighting revealed that the ghost like machines were ready for battle, the hood of the leading suit began flapping erratically then like in Altan's vision of the red Zaku a single eye sensor glowed brightly harboring a fierce look, the phantasms of the past one hundred years have finally been reborn.

 _~author's notes~ This concludes chapter 1, sorry for the long drawn out and lack of mobile suit combat, I did this to introduce my original characters and try to work in classic characters. I promise more action in the next chapter. Thanks and again feel free to comment or even message me, and thank you for reading. -t0x_


	3. Chapter 2: Serenity Fractured

Chapter 2: Serenity Fractured

Days later, the incident at the hotel now seemingly a distant memory, Altan united with his friends once again to perform the final inspection of the restored Zaku, Jobi and Allegro sat outside of the trailer truck loaned by a mutual friend's uncle who owned a construction company. Their gargantuan load was hauled to a municipal airfield so they have a wide opened, unhindered area to run one of the tests before it enters the fast approaching air show.

"Altan? Can you hear me?" Jobi asked through the mouthpiece of his headset.

 _*Perfectly.*_ Through the fuzzy static, Altan's voice was heard from the lower definition speakers, but the result still brought smiles to Jobi's and Allegro's faces for they were closer and closer to dubbing their project 'complete'.

"Awesome! Status?"

Inside the cockpit, Altan began powering on the mobile suit, the generator kicked on with a strong hum, garnering excitement from the group even other hobbyists there that day. Altan observed the monitors, the screen in front beheld the blue sky, the screens on each side of him revealed observers in awe of the now operational century old Zaku. He looked to his right to see his cheering with joy at the sound of it's engine. He glanced at the computer panel and entered the command for status check, to his pleasure the computer report returned with much anticipated good news.

"All green!" Altan said with calm excitement. The news met with his friends jumping ecstatically.

Leaning against the green electric car was a young woman around the same age as Jobi, holding a baby. Her platinum blonde hair, colored with red and blue ends sheened in the sunlight, she watched with pride as her boyfriend Allegro shouted about something that she herself didn't understand, but nonetheless wanted to celebrate with the group.

"Sally!" Allegro shouted her name. "Bring the baby over here! I want him to see his first mobile suit!" He waved his arms wildly as he ran toward Sally and her baby.

"Come on you two! You've got to see this!" Allegro's energetic voice caused the baby to coo and babble a sign that his father made him happy.

"Let's go Kenta, daddy wants you to see something!" Sally said with exaggerated enthusiasm to their son, though she wasn't interested in mobile suits or anything like them, she was supportive of Allegro's hobby.

The three arrived at the trailer truck and waited patiently for what was to come next, a small crowd then began to form around the truck and the friends taken the situation to their advantage, the four on the outside exchanged nods and cheeky grins. Jobi then quickly climbed up to the mobile suit and stood on its manipulator hand and turned to the crowd and held himself in a proud stance.

"Ladies and gentlemen! This machine before you, from which I stand. Is a piece of history!" Jobi barked out to the crowd much like a ringmaster from a circus.

"This ground breaking achievement of the Universal Century takes a new breath of life in it's one hundredth year. A survivor of the bloody One Year War!" The crowd began to grow antsy and was rapidly growing bored of the young man's speech as some shouted and others groaned from the cliché antic that the group had improvised.

"This is the MS-06S Zaku II customized for a legendary ace pilot... The infamous Red Comet! Today piloted by our own Altan Kenloch!" On the ground Allegro gives a sour expression as he listened in on the last second event.

"Why couldn't I pilot it!?" He shouted.

"Because Altan's pilot license is still current!" Their female friend snidely remarked at Allegro's expense.

"Geez thanks for your confidence Victoria!" Said Allegro sarcastically. As the crowd grew more restless Jobi gazed at the one face in the crowd that had a smile, a woman of darker complexion, dark yet deeply soulful eyes, short black hair, and sport a baby blue short sleeve shirt and white capri pants. Jobi smiled and readied for the next step in the final tests.

"Altan will now demonstrate the maneuverability of this tangible piece of history!" He nimbly jumped from the Zaku to the ground and stood a safe distance from the truck.

"Alright buddy, let's give these people a show!" The cautiously confident young man joined his friends and prepared himself for anything that could happen.

Inside the cockpit, Altan readied the controls and foot pedals, he took a deep breath in and exhaled, he pushed the controls forward taking the mobile suit automatically out of standby mode. The monoeye camera flickered on and glowed brightly, the right leg lifted from the truck and planted it's heavy foot onto the dusty ground generated a muffled boom under the shock absorbers. At a smooth and steady pace the hundred year old mobile suit stood up from the trailer truck, it's height dwarved even the near by watch tower.

The size of the Zaku by comparison with mobile suits developed after u.c. 0100 in regards to it's weight and girth was greatly different, since then mobile suits rarely exceed a height within the 18 meter range, though at a glance this would seem that mobile weapons in this standard are practically unchanged, however pilots rave of the performance of even mass-produced mobile suits. Altan and his friends were completely aware of the difference in the standards used in the past in contrast with now, the Zaku was much more bulky than a Gun-EZ and a newer model Curtisgun, and it's generator capacity was a fraction of what current and newest generation mobile suits yield. But the fact that it was able to function after a century not only speak volumes in regards to the engineers of the time but the young friends who was gifted the mobile suit whom was able to breath life back into it.

* * *

At Garland base, a C-88 Medea transport craft landed on the runway running parallel from the now camouflaged Pegasus Neo. One by one supply containers rolled off of conveyer lines, where Javelin mobile suits assist in moving supplies to their respective places, one turned with the pilot's control to see another Madea landing, this one arriving from it's point of origin Torrington, on its fuselage an emblem was painted on with bold letters reading _Brazen Wallaby_ accompanied by a caricature of the named animal brandishing a pair of boxing gloves.

Magaela and Thomas walked toward the Medea's passenger area, the air-stairs had finished locking onto the mounts on each side of the hatch. The hatch opened as soldiers one by one exited the aircraft, both Magaela and Thomas smiled as they watched a beautiful blonde haired woman clad in a black suit and a bright teal blouse, and a pair of rose tinted shades. She made her way down the stairs before coming up to her comrades.

"What!? I was enjoying the outback!" She shouted jokingly over the roaring turbines of the Medea's jet engines.

"Glad to see you too!" Magaela shouted likewise as the woman approached them.

"Lieutenant Hilde Cline ready for orders!" She exclaimed with a salute as they head toward the main building. As the three walked on, overhead the prototype mobile suit code named March Hare was undergoing mobility tests as scheduled, the engines emitted a hushed hum thanks to a feature used to aide it in reconnaissance missions, the three watched as it executed aerial somersaults fully utilizing it's Minovsky flight system, a standard in mobile weapon technology.

"The pilot's good!" Thomas remarked.

"That would be ensign Ulrich, he volunteered to test the new model." Magaela smiled at the moves the mobile suit made under the guiding hands of her subordinate.

"You guys have a March Hare too?" Hilde said nonchalantly at the performance of the prototype.

"So that's what they're calling it?" Magaela asked perplexed by the codename of the machine.

"Yeah, one was stationed at Torrington conducting artillery tests, you two seriously didn't know about this one?"

Her statement garnered a shrug from Thomas while Magaela watched on amazed by the prototype that arrived days prior.

"Yep! I'll be your inside gal!" Hilde laughed as she and her comrades watched on.

"There's no telling what goes on with the top brass or SNRI..." The lieutenant commander said as she watched the March Hare land with the guidance of ground crews. The two toned gray mobile suit then knelt down on one knee preparing for it's pilot to exit the cockpit.

* * *

Simultaneously inside one of the hangars on base the cockpit hatch of an RGM-175 opened and it's pilot exited and stepped onto a hydraulic lift just in a step's reach of the cockpit awaiting the obviously female pilot was the maintenance technician.

"Well lieutenant? What do you think of the Condor?" The technician asked the pilot as she removed the helmet of her normal suit, the pilot was Tiria Brenland putting in simulator time as required by all pilots on base.

"Not to be too frank, but it's not much different than the Curtisgun." Tiria said as she looked back at the Condor with mild disappointment. "Seems the change is mainly cosmetic."

"Well it's meant for intensive combat situations, the frame and generator is the same, but the armor is reinforced for longer survivability." The technician stated confidently while gazing at the mobile suit. He pressed the button on the control panel to lower them to the base of the lift within seconds they were near the floor.

"Once we get an analysis of your performance from the simulations, SNRI should produce a personal one for you." She looked back at the machine once again, sceptical of the technician's words of reassurance.

"Well well! How's it going Lieutenant!?" A voice echoed throughout the hangar as the attention of the technician and Tiria was ensnared by the rather self assured tone. It was Ensign Patrick Caan once again, his wounds still bandaged from the fight with Altan.

"Ensign Patrick, weren't you suppose to be tending to the mess hall?" Tiria asked.

"Just finished, now I'm ready to try out one of these bad boys!"

"Now wait ensign! You've not been approved for simulator use yet!" The technician tried in vain to stop the overzealous pilot.

"Who said anything about using the simulator!? This Condor is begging for a trip around base!"

Tiria followed him to the lift only to see him halfway up to the hatch, the maintenance chief observing the fracas, quickly shut down the lift and lowered the platform with the emergency switch.

"The hell was that for!?" Patrick shouted furiously.

"You didn't get approval from command! And if you decided to take that mobile suit off base, it'll be both our asses getting chewed out by the commodore, then Admiral Gref will be the one to do so!" Frustrated Tiria lectured Patrick on his conduct as he hesitantly listened to his superior.

"You know we need to be ready for anything lieutenant. You said so yourself!" He boldly stated.

"Yes, but an unauthorized sortie is grounds for disciplinary action, which lately you've been on our commanding officers' bad side, another slip up could lead you to a court martial!"

Patrick rolled his eyes in frustration as he accepted the facts and began to walk away. Before he could do so, an older man and two younger officers walked up to the two MHA operatives.

"Having a disagreement lieutenant?" He asked with a calm tone.

"Dr. Arno? How can I assist you?" Tiria asked almost in a fanatic shock for standing before her was Dr. Seabook Arno, an engineer and semi-retired pilot who gained fame for his exploits during the Cosmo Babylonian war where he piloted a Gundam type mobile suit against the Crossbone Vanguard. In his nearly seventy three years of life he has endured losses and seen many things, but he took the negative and positive and taught newer generations to come.

"I was just checking with the suits that will be going with the Pegasus when it departs for Dakar." Seabook said as he looked around for the machines that are to meet with his expertly precise inspection. As he and his crew walked on, Tiria began to make her way to the rest area where she can change out of her normal suit and finish her day on base.

* * *

Few and far between, the Zanscare Empire's remaining BESPA forces have trudged along without their nobility to lead them spiritually. But what drives these men, women, and even children is their ambition, one that is further fueled by vengeance for the fall of their 'glorious' empire. The infamous Blue Monitor team situated in North America's Sonoran desert was formed by groups from Australia, Papua New Guinea, and India.

A man lays atop of a camouflaged mobile suit watching the stray clouds pass by while listening to the jovial sounds of children playing and dogs gleefully barking and participating with the children. He looked around at the commune that he helped form and a smile of joy crept across his grizzled face, he then glanced at mounds of sand and flora, more camouflaged mobile suits like his own.

"Gorba!" A young woman's voice projected from the ground below. He quickly climbed down from the shrouded machine to meet with the source of the voice. "It's time for you to eat my love."

Gorba Chaplin is the leader of the Blue Monitor team, in u.c. 0151 he joined BESPA in their fight against the Earth Federation Forces and became a pilot for their cause, after the war he and many of his comrades fled from both League Militaire and the Earth Federation and managed to rebuild their fighting strength, training new generations of pilots. Now forty five years old, he and his young wife watch over the commune and prepare for their first child.

"Lead the way Juno..." As the lovers walked hand in hand they look up to see a mobile suit fly in closely, it's beam rotor roaring as it hovered overhead.

 _*Captain! News from the front sir!*_

Gorba signaled the pilot to land as the mobile suit remained hovering above him and Juno. It then proceeded to land in the clearing next to other covered mobile suits.

"You two! Get some camo on that Domuttlia!"

The party then walked quickly to the sand pale Domuttlia to await the pilot praying for good news.

"Captain! I found the Trojan Horse, at Garland Base!" The young pilot exclaimed with a salute.

"Then the operation will proceed as planned, tomorrow we take the Federation Forces and MHA, so all of you need to prepare your mobile suits for battle!"

"Sir!" The group shouted in unison.

"Jacques get the Luggun ready! We're going to take a little sight seeing trip!" Gorba said with a scoff of triumph.

"Darling, please take care." Juno urged her beloved husband.

"I wouldn't expect you to forgive me if I didn't my love." He said calmly. She sighed deeply and turned her attention to Gorba's subordinate.

"Lieutenant Jacques, please don't let any harm come to him!" She shouted sternly, this of course was not surprising behavior to Jacques.

"I wouldn't dream of it ma'am!" He shouted back confidently.

* * *

After the Zanscare war, certain military mobile suits and vehicles became unavailable to civilians only machines developed up to post Cosmo Babylonian war time were allowed to circulate through consumer markets with the growing popularity with historical war time weapon restoration and regional exhibitions displaying the hard work applied to bringing these machines back to life, however anti Federation militias even BESPA remnants had access to these machines allowing them to take root without further harassment from the Federation or local law enforcement.

The evening quickly approached as Altan returned to the hotel followed by Jobi in his off road truck, he dismounted from his motorcycle then walked over to the blue sand dusted vehicle, Jobi took off his reflective sunglasses and smiled at Altan, he combed his fingers through his black mohawk then grasped the steering wheel once again.

"Well buddy! Tomorrow morning is it... The final test, atmospheric flight." He fidgeted nervously as he looked at looked off aimlessly. "Thanks to some connections, we managed to arrange a lift from a Garuda class." Altan smiled at Jobi's statement and leaned against the roll bar of his truck.

"We can thank Sally's dad for that. I'm sure it wasn't easy to find one available in middle of the E.F.F's rearmament efforts." He commented.

"4 a.m. will get here pretty fast, and it's nearly a 3 hour drive to Phoenix... So we better get some sleep, Allegro and Victoria will ride with me and you can follow behind us. From there we'll load up the Zaku and when you reach the half-way point, you and the Zaku will launch from the Garuda, The Kobayashi air field should be a straight away shot for you... Sound like a plan?"

"Got it, sounds good Jobi." Altan said with confidence.

"Alright, see ya in the morning buddy." With that Altan walked to the entrance of the hotel, and Jobi quickly drove off with a cloud of dust following trailing from behind him.

Before he could enter the hotel his attention was caught by a cold sensation, a tremor which kreeped up and down his spine. He looked up only to see two people who appeared around his age, one was a tall young man with choppy gray hair, the other was a petite young girl who matched her height to the young man's elbows. Both appeared to be employed at the neighbouring cantina indicated by their black aprons with a red chilli pepper patch on the pockets. The young man held up his hand showing greeting to Altan who returned the likewise gesture.

He entered the hotel to see Rose assisting a woman, he gazed at the uniquely styled symbols tattooed on her shoulders, the black ink accented her darker toned skin nicely, she was as tall as Altan and was physically fit, her black neck length hair was pulled back in a green bandana.

"Everything ok Rose?" He asked kindly.

"Yeah, she was looking for the base, and I was just about to show her how to get to it." Said Rose assuring her co-worker.

"I know it seems strange, but my company has been contracted by the Federation Government for some work around the country, and our last stop for the day is a base that was supposed to be in this area." The woman frantically said to Altan.

"If you don't mind my asking, what kind of work do you do?"

"We're exterminators, and this is a preventative measure for health and safety. And we're on an extremely strict deadline!" She looked at Altan with a look of worry in her teal eyes.

As the conversation continued, Tiria made her way down the stairs wearing a dark blue bikini top and a pair of black running shorts, draped over her forearm was a bath towel, after a long day at the base she was ready for a relaxing swim in the hotel's indoor pool, an addition added in the recent years, and was built by close friends to Altan's family.

She made her way to the group and noticed the troubled exterminator talking to Altan and Rose.

"Thanks hopefully I'll get to the base before lockdown..." She graciously thanked them both before she handed both Rose and Altan a business card with the name _Free-Run Exterminator co._ In bold cyan font on a green background.

"Ma'am? Did I understand that you were looking for Garland?" Tiria asked.

"Yes I was, I think these two helped me well enough to get there."

"Ok, lockdown will be at dusk so you should have plenty of time." She said with a smile.

"Thanks sweetie!" She said with a smile before nodding to the three and exiting the hotel.

Altan's eyes were caught by the sight of Tiria's partially exposed body, her wavy dark brown hair surrounding her shoulders, her bikini top concealed her breasts showing a modest amount of cleavage. His eyes trailed down from her navel all the way to the legs he was well acquainted with. He beheld Tiria in her blossomed womanly form which was surprisingly trim, a result of her military training. His cheeks became flushed his heart began to beat rapidly, Rose watching Altan's reaction to Tiria's attire, growing more and more envious she walked off to finish a task and to maintain her dignity.

"Something wrong Altan?" Tiria asked seeing his cheeks now a darker shade of red. Realizing she was aware of his admiring eyes he turned his head to conceal his blush.

"N-No, nothing at all." He quickly attempted to compose himself so he could speak to his friend calmly and politely. "About to try out the pool?"

"Yeah, it's been a long day so I thought a swim would relax me a little." She smiled as he tried diverting his eyes from her directly.

* * *

Twilight set in at Garland, the setting sun was further masked by the mountain ranges and the staff began to wind down. The Free-Run Exterminator company was finishing with their examination of the base as scheduled.

"Ok, we've installed barriers at every corner of the premises, sprayed pyrethrin around the barracks and just in case we left you two crates of no kill traps." The woman from earlier said to the guarded ranked officer.

"We appreciate it, no telling what kind of pests run wild in the desert." He said as he signed the tablet she held out to him. "Now, these barriers you mentioned, how do they work sound waves?"

"They're universal, they use ultrasonic frequencies and emits an enzyme that is a known natural deterrent." She answered with obvious expertise.

He handed back her devise after entering his signature, she then tapped a key which quickly printed an invoice.

"Well Captain Baptiste, you're good to go. If there's any problems just let them know and we should get back to you fairly quick."

"Be careful out there, these are very difficult times miss.."

"Farah, Farah Duval... And you the same Captain." Farah said as she walked back to the commercial sized truck. "Tucker! Lonbai! You two just about finished!?"

Over at the very corner of the inner wall, the crew of two finished installing some of the electronic barrier units.

"We're wrapping up now boss lady!" The bald man said as the other flipped a switch on the control panel. "Got it!"

The two were walking back when they both looked around, noticing no soldier was in sight, the smaller man signaled the bald man to the enormous tanks which fueled the base's power generator, he sprinted to the tanks furthest from the entrance, where he quickly flipped the toggle on the control panel marked with a peculiar blue seal. The three entered the truck and soon departed, meeting the gate guards with just a nod, as they were granted a pass device which allowed them entrance and leave from any military facility. The woman's smile quickly faded to a frown as she opened the compartment located on the dash to reveal yet another panel which she unlatched to reveal a remote trigger which fit in her hand easily.

"So you weren't spotted?" The soft tone of her voice lowered to an almost ice cold whisper.

* * *

Night fall came with the silver moonlight bathing the area, the hotel was almost completely dark, the exception of the softly lit lobby, and a couple of rooms that had the glow of the television screen and some had the desk lamps in use. Altan had trouble falling asleep as he thrashed about in his bed realizing that he was depended on to pilot the Zaku for the final test, but he was restless and sleep for him seemed impossible. On his mind, was the reflection of why he felt such a familiarity with the old mobile suit. He gazed at the scaled down replica of a standard Zaku's head only to sink further into thought.

Miles from the city the encampment was a buzz with murmurs from the Blue Monitor team looking over a map of the area, numerous highlights, red circles, and blue arrows cover the map obvious markings for strategical purposes.

"The best route for success in the strike would be to take the Huachuka mountains, the rock formations will provide some cover for us, allowing one team to easily take the southwest end. While another should break off and fly further north then take them by air, because Garland is undergoing extensive resupply, this would be our only chance to cripple the Federation Forces stationed there." Captain Gorba discussed the attack plan after hours upon hours of careful composition and mapping.

"The fact that our radar was completely jammed because of the unusually high density of Minovsky particles in the area only means the Feddies are blinded to any attack made on their base, which means we need to seize this opportunity to take Garland."

The young men and women he trained listening in sharing absolute confidence in their commander some with sheer glee in their eyes as he boldly vocalized the brain child that was his strategy.

"Captain, if I may sir!" The young soldier exclaimed.

"Speak freely son," he smiled at the teenager's stark enthusiasm.

"Sir! I wish to volunteer to lead team bravo in the assault! With this I want to claim revenge for my father and brothers who were slain at the hands of the Federation filth!" His enthusiasm quickly shown itself as burning rage as the boy clenched his fist to the verge of breaking skin.

"This is a dangerous task. You can't charge in with vengeance strong on your tongue, this will only lead to failure and worse off resulting in your death. You must clear your mind and focus on the mission, if you can do that you have nothing but my blessings and my thanks for your participation in the assault."

The soldiers take in the the sage words of their commander, likewise with the boy volunteering to lead one of two teams though the deaths of his loved ones plagued his thoughts he maintained composure, knowing Gorba's words were true if he was to help lead, he had to set an example.

"Additionally, if possible capture any mobile suits you can get to, it will help us in our seizure of our next target Cheyenne mountain facility. And if by chance the Feddies have fully resupplied and we start to become overwhelmed... Run... If you run out of ammo it's better to regroup and fight on another day, than to die needlessly. We're not the BESPA that used to be, our task is simple, get back to Side 2 at any cost and take as many as those curs down as we can and if we must, take them down with us. Come dawn we give them hell!"

The soldiers stood at attention and saluted their commander with pride and hope in their success, his ending statement, was an understood dismissal for the young warriors. They left the tent one by one and proceeded to their huts for morning was time to debark to Garland base and a great battle will erupt.

"This is not retribution, this is a fight to make our way home, all of us." Said Gorba as he turned of the led lamp and close the tent flap behind him.

* * *

The air was light, gentle, and breathable but still on a dreary day like the young girl experienced, the air was stale and dead the wind generated by the colony's climate control computers added to the hazzy ambiance this could be symbolic of the tragedy the girl and her older brother faced.

 _"Artesia..."_

The voice of a young man echoed repeatedly as if speaking in a chasm.

 _"Goodbye, Artesia..."_

The boy watched as the trees before him come closer into view. Watching on his view became clouded and blurry.

 _"Your leaving me too!?... Big brother! "_

Like her sibling's, the girl named Artesia spoken with a repeated echo, what seemed vivid around them became so abstract, then faded to black, the boy looked back to see only Artesia was unaffected by the void that engulfed their entire world.

 _"Casval!...Casval! Please don't leave me! Casval!_

Artesia ran helplessly toward her brother Casval only for him to be too far away from her reach her blonde hair and blue dress fluttered heavily in the wind.

 _"DON'T GO!"_ The girl screamed at the top of her lungs the pain within her heart bled out in her cries.

Instantly Altan woke up in a cold sweat, the cries of the little girl still haunting his mind his hands trembled for a moment then he quickly regained control of his digits. Fear still filled his blue eyes.

"Artesia?... Casval?... Those names... W-Who are?" He asked himself.

He then turned to look at his alarm clock to see the time reading _2:45a_ . Frantically he leapt from his bed and quickly dressed, realizing Jobi, Allegro, and Victoria were on their way. Taking very little time to dress and tie his black canvas sneakers. Before he exited his room, he glanced at the photo of his mother trying to compose his thoughts after the nightmare he thankfully woke from.

* * *

Back at Garland base, a meeting took place within the office of Commodore Riordan, between Magaela, Thomas, Hilde, Commodore Riordan, Dr. Arno, and the captain of the Pegasus Neo Marbet Fingerhat. Within the last eight hours the Federation Forces made preparations to convert Garland into a MHA operations hub the news gained the Commodore's attention, which hastened his return to base much sooner that anticipated.

"Thank you all for meeting me this early in the morning, I understand all of you have been exhausted, but I called you here because we're beginning to fall into desperate times." Riordan opened already in a state of distress.

"Before I say anything else, I'm glad to see the Strike Banshees together in the same room again. And again I appreciate all of you joining me."

"What's the matter Commodore?" Asked Thomas.

"Now I know all of you have questions, and I'll answer them after I finish." He stood from his seat and paced about.

"While in Ireland, I received a report forwarded from the intelligence agency. In this report it read that within seventy two hours, evac is to begin of the city, and regular forces are to withdraw from Garland as soon as possible, that the base and the immediate area is under MHA jurisdiction."

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hilde stood from her seat in outrage with Riordan's revelation.

"Who's order was that!?" Dr. Arno added.

"Who else? Those bastards at HQ haven't a clue what he's about to pull..." Magaela added, expressing mistrust in MHA's hierarchy.

"What do you have to say Captain? Because of Admiral Gref you received a two rank demotion." Riordan remarked gaining a tap against the arm of the chair.

"My opinion isn't relevant Seamus, what matters is that the Federation Government is made aware of their plans... Gref Collins is a man out for global conquest. He who controls the government controls the earth's sphere..." The captain removed her hat revealing herself as the only smiling face in the crowd observing the spectacle performed by Altan and his friends the previous day.

"But would they do anything about it Captain Marbet?" Dr. Arno said with a hint of pessimism in his voice. "MHA is taking measures used time and time again by elitist of the Federation, only they plan to absorb the Federation Forces altogether."

"Right now the only option we have is to push an appeal and convince Rear Admiral Kitsune to intensify the investigation against the Manhunters... But we can't rule out the possibility of civil war especially with the general assembly being divided evenly."

The tension in the room became suffocatingly thick as the party contemplated any further steps that could be made for the very idea of fighting their own allies proved nauseating to them.

"Marbet, when do you and the Pegasus plan to depart?" The Commodore asked.

"0900 tomorrow morning, no exceptions, no delays." She sternly answered.

"The Strike Banshees, Ensign Ulrich Franz, and any mobile suits you need will be accompanying you and will be formidable assets to your crew, these are not orders but instead a request."

Captain Marbet looked at the three their eyes on her, awaiting her decision. The look in their eyes she had seen before in the Shrike Team her late husband Oliver had formed during the Zanscare war. She looked over at Dr. Arno to engage him in the decision making, he nodded in approval at the request which helped give her clarity in mind.

"Lieutenant Commander Magaela?" She started boldly.

"Yes Captain?" Magaela eagerly responded.

"As of now you and your team are crew members of the Pegasus Neo."

The team smiled fanatically, for they will now serve under the famous war heroine and will be aboard the newest warship with another famous figure.

"Well Lieutenant Hilde, wouldn't your wife be pleased to hear of your transfer?" Riordan's statement gained smirks of surprise from both Captain Marbet and Dr. Arno.

"I think she'd be less collected than I am for sure... And I'm pretty excited!"

Hilde Cline was gifted with a beauty that some women would pay anything to obtain. A beauty that could win the affections of any man she could ever want, but to many a man's dismay she wanted no man, instead preferred the company, and companionship of women. And the woman who would come to be her wife was no exception.

"How is Mari anyway?" Thomas asked kindly.

"She's great, working her ass off like the rest of us." She laughed.

"Anyway, let's get back on topic... Our objective remains the same, hunt down remaining BESPA forces in our region, with the addition of narrowing MHA'S jurisdiction in the area and finally we are to gather any information about the cloaked mobile suits that had been in numerous sightings across earth and the lunar cities."

Hearing what the commodore had to say reminded Thomas of the reconnaissance photos Magaela shown him and the same mobile suit lying under a tarp in hangar four brought more impetus to what he deducted, and that his research would aide them.

"A beam assault rifle..." Thomas muttered.

"What was that?" Dr. Arno asked.

"What is it Thomas?" Magaela asked likewise.

"The beam weapon recovered at Belfast wasn't anything produced by BESPA and I doubt SNRI developed any beam rifles that old in design... But from the look of the scorch marks on the Javelin's armor and the depth at the points of heavy impact, the megaparticle concentration was in rapidly scattered areas, which the heaviest damage was at a specific area. The target point."

Thomas put forward his weapons experience, and his theory which the former supported even gaining Dr. Arno's full attention.

"So that's why there was a heap of a Javelin in the hangar..." Said Hilde surprised by her teammate's preparedness.

"But how do you figure it's not a weapon created by either groups?" Dr. Arno now at full attention readied himself for what Thomas had to say.

"I looked at old data files from Anaheim Electronics, after nearly two hundred files I arrived to one certain model type that used a weapon like it, it was an older type used by Neo Zeon sometime after the second war."

The haze of mystery grew more and more thick as the party tried to make sense of the information he gathered and the apparent hours he put into his independent investigation.

"So the earth is haunted by the ghosts of the dispossessed... Or so it seems." Riordan remarked while stroking his beard downward.

"We could request for further detail files on anything related the faction, but the only place that would have what we need would be the spacenoid historical society, but the main office is on Side 3 and since MHA raided the capital colony... The Federation is banned from entering their airspace... And anyone who was involved with the movements have all died by now."

Magaela' s comment then brought any light that could shine through further into darkness, and that investigation into Thomas's lead would run into more and more delay.

"What's important now is that we put our efforts in our tasks and that we stop the seizure of this base, at dawn I want you three to search for suspicious activity, from civilians and MHA." Riordan gave his orders to the three ace pilots before they sat up and proceeded to leave.

"I think I'll head back to the ship, I have alot of work to do." Dr. Arno stated as he stood from his chair.

"Get some rest first, you're too important to the Pegasus's crew." Captain Marbet said to him concerned genuinely for his best interest. "I don't want to have to be the one to tell Cecily that you wouldn't listen to us."

"She'd probably laugh at all of you for trying... Then I'd be in the dog house!" He responded with a smile.

"We'll see you soon Seabook." Riordan said kindly to him.

Dr. Arno then nodded as he left the room closing the door behind him. Marbet then began to stand only to see her friend raise his hand signing her not to leave yet.

"Hold on Marbet, I need you to see this." He said as he handed her a handheld computer.

She scrolled through the stills of three Reinforce class ships then finally coming across a video feed.

"That colony is Londenion right?" She asked.

"Yes, an Alexandra class ship used by MHA was stationed in Side 1 airspace for ten days before finally reported by Londenion's regent. So a fleet composed of two Reinforce class ships, Arcadia and Briton was dispatched from Luna 2 to inspect the Alexandria. When they arrived they seen one additional ship, both Arcadia and Briton sent mobile suits to inspect both ships, which they were wiped out by the second ship by use of megaparticle cannons.'

As Riordan described the incident she watched the feed to find he described in full detail what went on in the feed in frightening accuracy which meant he studied the video time and time again.

"What a waste..." She sighed.

"The second ship hid itself behind the colony's rear end and waited there for the fleet before joining the Alexandria, when the fleet arrived the second ship quickly moved in, where it shot down the mobile suit team."

Riordan took off his glasses as he prepared for what she was about to see. Her eyes widened at the sight shown in the feed.

"Is that!?"

"Watch the zoom..." He interrupted, returning her focus to the video.

She watched as the video then went into full magnification, revealing an exceedingly monstrous battleship.

"It can't be..." Stunned at the massive ship that had destroyed each mobile suit with heavy fire.

"It is... The Dogosse Giar class refit, the prized ship of the main fleet... The General Revil..."

"Has the main fleet been absorbed by MHA!?"

Riordan made no comment only looked upon his friend with a dire expression.

"We need to mobilize as soon as possible, before Admiral Gref makes his move..."

The chilling revelation only worsened the situation at hand, leading Captain Marbet to only one conclusion, the fall of democracy and war was indeed the only outcome.

 _"That beast has_ actually _been returned to service...it's as you said Uso... League Militaire's actions all of our sacrifice... It was all in vain."_

* * *

An enormous airship flies high in the stratosphere, it's cargo Altan, his friends, their vehicles, and the Zaku. Altan waited in the Zaku's cockpit while his friends sat with the pilot in the ship's bridge. Allegro groggily watched as clouds passed the ship one by one, Victoria took photos on her phone at the sights from high altitude, and Jobi remained on standby beside the pilot ready to start the eagerly awaited final test.

"Is this your first time this high up?" The pilot asked casually.

"Actually yeah! And in a Garuda no less!" Allegro exclaimed.

Jobi smiled as his friends gleefully observed the sights and listened to the sounds of the ship smashing through air pockets as it travels swiftly to it's destination.

"Hey Altan, we'll be approaching the half-way point soon. You ready?"

 _*Ready for launch...*_ Altan's voice projected from the communication panel as Victoria and Allegro quickly prepared their electronic tablets and pulled up a CG layout with the status of the Zaku with all levels in favorable a state.

"I'd still feel more comfortable if he wore a flight suit." Victoria said as she watched the screen with intense focus.

 _*If something goes wrong with the Zaku, it wouldn't matter if I wore a flight suit, either way it would kill me.*_

"He has a point, but I still think he should. Better safe than sorry." The pilot expressed his concern and met with a nod from Victoria.

"Too late now, we're almost there. Altan have you programmed the coordinates of the airfield?" Jobi asked as he watched the cockpit feed.

Inside the Zaku's cockpit Altan readied himself and the mobile suit for launch, on the computer screen displayed a blue dot labeled _A12_ indicating the Zaku and a red dot that was unlabeled that marked the landing zone.

 _*Because of Minovsky particles you can't use GPS so manual tracking is your only option.*_

"I know, I'll go ahead of the Garuda and and keep you notified of any changes."

The group in the bridge readied themselves and mentally counted down to the drop point. The pilot typed in the code of the Zaku to track it's position when it is needed.

"Bridge to A12 we're opening bay hatch now, Beginning final approach." The pilot said to Altan.

"All hangar crew strap in. Secure cargo and civilian transports! A12 launch in 5...4...3...2...1... Launch now!"

With the final command, the hangar rollers ejected the Zaku and its pilot safely out into stratosphere. Altan then quickly engaged the leg verniers to put the zaku into a flight position, once he reached a safe distance from the Garuda, he engaged the thrusters which propelled it ahead of carrier.

Altan felt a brief rattle in the controls a result of light turbulence from hitting an air pocket.

"This is it... I hope you can see it mom.." Altan said to himself. He and the Zaku continued descent at a steady pace, unaware of Federation reconnaissance planes on both sides of the Garuda.

* * *

At the hotel in a dimly lit room Tiria sat up in her bed and opened her ultrathin laptop taking it out of standby mode. She then put on an earpiece in her right ear.

 _*Lieutenant, this is Angelfish 1, are you ready?*_

"Go ahead Angelfish 1, patch me through."

Instantly a video feed appeared on the screen at a glitchy lower resolution quality. The a red Zaku flying at moderate speed.

 _*What do you think of it?*_

She carefully looked at the footage and quickly concluded that it was not for military use.

"Its a civilian model, all markings are confirmed." She said confidently.

 _*We'll continue monitoring it until it lands then.*_

"I appreciate it."

* * *

Back at the Garuda Jobi, Allegro, and Victoria watch as their project flawlessly continued it's flight much to their pleasure.

"Looking good out there, just keep a decent speed, there might be some planes exiting and entering when you approach target LZ." Jobi instructed Altan.

 _*Got it.*_ He responded.

In the cockpit a serene hum filled the air around him. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed deep taking in the sight of the nearly endless sky. He opened his eyes to see somewhat transparent white gloved hands over his own, the sight entranced him. The hands then, as if guiding his own, pressed several keys on the instrument panel in front of him. Altan followed the hands and pressed the same keys the hands pressed upon the extension of the arms he had seen red sleeves of what appeared to be a military uniform. After he pressed the final key, he took the controls once again and as if guided by instinct, pushed the controls forward and pressed the foot pedal down. This sent the throttle gauge on the computer's display into the red, issuing a continuous warning beep. Instantly the Zaku's speed increased exponentially.

With tremendous force Altan was slammed back into the seat, struggling to keep the controls, and the Zaku stable. The blue afterburn of the thrusters quickly changed to red, burning brighter and hotter than at the start of it's flight.

Aboard the Garuda, Altan's friends watched in shock and awe at the speed exerted by the old mobile suit.

"Altan! It's Jobi, where are you? We lost visual!" Jobi tried in vain to reach Altan.

"Throttle is beyond maximum!" Allegro exclaimed.

"Altan if you keep this up, neither you or the Zaku will last!" Victoria tried unsuccessfully to contact him.

Altan feeling intense pressure from g forces, managed to focus on the monitor watching the clouds separate in front of him and the ground below beginning to come closer into view, the numbness in his extremities disappeared allowing him to regain control of the mobile suit. Experiencing a mixed sensation of excitement and anxiety a rush not unfelt by pilots especially with excessive gravitational force. He gazed at the computer momentarily and seen the airfield was almost in visual range, realizing he had complete control of the Zaku, Altan smirked then pulled back on his left hand control, with the command processed in a fraction of a second, the suit executed a barrel roll.

"Alright big guy, let's show them what you can do!" Altan said as he fought through the rattle in the Zaku's cockpit, he then pushed the controls all the way forward releasing yet another burst of speed.

Speechless his friends watched on, excitement suppressed by shock and mouths agape. The century old mobile suit displayed an agility they did not anticipate and completely overshot the team's expectations.

Back in Tiria's room she continued to watch in amazement at the red afterburn trail emanating from the mobile suit, ripping through the sky like a shooting star. With unbreakable focus she observed the footage not even the chatter of her colleagues through her earpiece swayed her away from the incredible sight.

"Amazing..." She said to herself.

 _*What was that Lieutenant?*_ The pilot asked, again trying to gain her attention.

Altan continued to fly the Zaku to their destination, now nearing landing altitude he fastly approached the airfield.

"There's the beacon, A12 to Garuda. Begging final approach!" Altan finally able to respond to his friends aboard the carrier.

Soon the rising sun shed it's first light upon the runway, which revealed to the team's great fortune was clear of traffic. With one final burst the Zaku sped it's way up the runway until reaching a concrete baracade, Altan quickly executed a 'jump' and evaded the large slab and as one final move, he relaxed the controls and the pedal, for a brief second the Zaku was upside down in the air, then engaged the leg verniers once again, this time to finish the test flight with an aerial somersault.

The foot thrusters pulsed, slowing down the Zaku and allowed it to land gently on the runway, with the test concluded Altan breathed deep now able to relax from an experience that could have ended his life.

"I don't know who this Zaku belonged to, but it can really fly..." Altan said as he looked at his hands only to fall deep into thought, only to catch a flash of the same gloved hands he encountered earlier.

 _"Bow before me! Almighty God!"_

A voice echoed throughout his mind, confidently fierce it tore through the fabric of his psyche, until he snapped out of his daze with the sound of a large bazooka round firing with a loud boom, which faded away with the sound of enormous jet engines drawing closer and closer. He looked up to see the Garuda wheeling in, then crept to a stop.

 _*ALTAN! What the hell were you thinking!?*_ Jobi shouted over the communication link.

"We wanted to see it's full potential, and so we got it!" Altan said with esteem.

Altan then opened the hatch of the mobile suit the sunlight peering into the cockpit, he stepped out to see his friends exiting the Garuda.

"That was crazy!" Allegro exclaimed excitably. "It was like a red comet!"

"You could have killed yourself!" Victoria shouted.

Jobi and a Garuda crew member rode a hydraulic lift to the Zaku, within seconds it parked by the left leg and planted it's outriggers upon the pavement, Jobi and the driver met with Altan at the hatch where Jobi stepped onto the foothold.

"Great job buddy! It's ready for the airshow!" Jobi calmly exclaimed as he handed Altan a pouched electrolyte supplement beverage.

"Thanks." Altan said as he graciously took the pouch.

"You go ahead and go home, I can load the suit onto the truck."

Altan nodded in gratitude and stepped off the foothold and on to the lift he looked down at his other two friends on the ground celebrating with a bottle of champagne which they shared with the Garuda crew.

"Tell them not to party too hard Jobi." Altan smirked.

"No promises there!" Jobi laughed at his own statement. "See you after while buddy!"

Altan smiled as the driver lowered them down and back to the lift's fully folded state. Soon he was taken to the Garuda where waiting for him was his motorcycle, which he mounted and readied for the ride to the hotel, he was then overcame by a sense he never felt, as if danger loomed over them, the sensation came to him in a whisper and quaked all the way to his core. He then started the electric engine then sped off from the airfield.

* * *

Along the mountains, one by one the Blue Monitor team mobile suits dashed by with beam rotors shredding the morning sky. Three Tomilats, two Domuttlias, four Zolos, three Gedlavs, three Rig Shokews, and one unused prototype Zansgaan, a total of fifteen mobile suits launched at dawn to begin there bold operation, to take down Garland base.

"Team bravo, status..." Gorba hailed from the cockpit of his highly customized Rig Shokew, painted blue with white tiger stripes.

 _*Just broke off from team alpha Captain!*_ His wish granted, the young soldier reported to his commanding officer with great enthusiasm piloting a black Tomilat.

"Excellent! Decrease speed for ten minutes and allow my team to reach the point of absolution, be careful! There could be artillery units on base and could take us out easily if we're airborne."

 _*Sir, this is Jacques at home base. EWAC team has just reported in, the base is still resuppling, but they may be finished by noon, additionally a heavy storm system is forming west southwest and is expected to be in the vicinity within a matter of hours.*_

Aggravated by the report, Gorba expressed a hint of anxiety knowing now his original strategy won't work.

"Teams alpha and bravo, circumstances have changed! Isaac increase relative speed upon arrival to the half-way point! The Feddies are scheduled to be fully resupplied by noon!"

Inside Isaac's Tomilat he listened to his commander with panic present in his eyes.

 _*If possible, clear a path for team alpha with missiles! Then join team alpha in combat.*_

"But sir! If we move in too quick we might lose a golden opportunity!"

 _*But if we don't we'll all be killed faster than we'd know it! In battle we must always keep a strategy flexible to each change in situation! Now keep your cool!*_

"Roger..." He replied with disappointment in the change of strategy and in himself.

"Alright Blue Monitor team! Sally forth!" Gorba exclaimed as he ordered his troops forward.

* * *

The hotel was filling to capacity with gathering spectators from all throughout the region in anticipation of the airshow now less than two days away, hundreds of people of all varieties gathered to Sierra Vista to attend this enormous spectacle which in recent years grown in popularity. Throughout the city various concession stands were erected in anticipation of this event which was expected by city council to be the largest airshow to date since it's beginning.

Magaela and her team took advantage of the growing crowd to carry out their on foot reconnaissance operation, quietly and carefully observed the behavior of each person they see.

Hilde took the corner adjacent from the central intersection, she watched on discreetly at the passing traffic and tourists visiting the vendors and businesses. She clicked the button on the earpiece in her right ear and a chime was generated through the ear phone.

"002 to 001, festivities seem to be underway much sooner than expected." Hilde spoke in a whisper through the micro sized mouthpiece, adhered to her jaw line. "No suspicious activity so far..."

 _*002 continue monitoring for half an hour then report back. We'll rendezvous in one hour at Grove Ave.*_

"Roger that. Out.."

At the hotel Altan sleeps, resting from the flight in the red Zaku, even sleeping through the constant chime of the door. His subconscious filled with darkness then exploded into a green glow which twinkled and flickered until finally forming a ribbon that danced through the infinite heavens until it slowly faded away.

"Protect her." A man's voice said clearly.

Altan woke instantly with the sound of explosions occurring frequently. He quickly jumped to his feet and exited his room to the sound of evacuation sirens echoing throughout the city, he looked out into the lobby to see guests running for the exit.

"Altan! Get down to the basement now!" Rose shouted from the stairs clearly panicked.

"What's going on!?" He asked.

"The base is under attack by mobile suits!" She responded.

Altan ran down stairs to meet with Rose, where he tried to calm her and ready her to act quickly.

"Get the guest to take shelter in the basement. It's too dangerous to leave the building!" He said as he grasped her shoulders firmly to gain her full attention.

"But what about you!?" She asked with concern.

"I'm going to find Tiria, she'll be able to help with the evacuation!"

"Altan wait!"

Without another word, Altan ran to the kitchen and out the rear entrance, as he made his way outside, he was near blown off his feet by the thrust vents of a Rig Shokew, dodging vulcan gun fire. He ran to the front of the hotel to find his motorcycle to see nothing. Amidst the frenzied crowd to see Tiria trying to maintain the hysteric masses.

"Please everyone! Get to the underground shelters! You won't have time for.." She was paused by the touch of Altan's hand.

"Tiria! Come on we've got to go!" He exclaimed.

"But Altan I have to.."

She was cut short by a loud metallic boom, they looked to see a Curtisgun that landed a block up from them and began firing it's beam pistol at the airborne Zolo which quickly disarmed the sand pale and navy blue colored mobile suit with it's beam saber. Then fired at the cockpit with it's gatling gun killing it's pilot and rendering it immobile, and with a loud 'pop' the Curtisgun fell to it's knees and finally hit the burning pavement a crater burning in it's torso.

"Why are they fighting in the city!?" A man screamed as he ran by the two youths.

"All units respond now! This is Lieutenant Tiria Brenland!" Tiria shouted through her head set. "Redirect and take the combat outside the city!"

Tiria looked around only to see their position had not changed, and the battle resumed without pause. Fed up with the situation she tossed her headset with immense frustration.

"Come on Tiria it's too dangerous!" Altan exclaimed as he took her by her hand.

* * *

At Garland, pilots scramble to their mobile suits and ground troops quickly grab anti-ms weapons in an attempt to cripple if not destroy the BESPA mobile weapons, a high risk maneuver by the few brave enough for this undertaking.

"How many are there!?" Ensign Patrick asked as he climbed in the cockpit of a RMS-0171 Guncannon.

"They're reporting six! Four on the ground, two airborne!" The technician yelled from the ground up to the ensign.

"Alright, Comms! I need a sitrep!" As the cockpit hatch closed the Guncannon left the hangar in order to join the battle, armed with a beam carbine and its twin two hundred millimeter cannons.

In a separate hangar, three Gun-Ezs prepare for departure. Magaela, Hilde, and Thomas prepare the fine tuned machines.

"Alright, the situation is a worse case scenario... Intel has confirmed that the mobile suits attacking base is from the Blue Monitor team..." Magaela said as she typed her passcode into the computer of her mobile suit.

"You're joking right!?" Hilde said in shock at what Magaela had said.

Thomas nervously prepared his Gun-Ez as he listened in on his wife and squad leader, and their teammate.

 _*A team of two Curtisguns and three Condors drove a Zolo and a Rig Shokew into city limits away from the base, civilian casualties have been confirmed...*_ Magaela added over the communication channel.

 _*Those MHA amateurs haven't a single goddamned clue do they!?*_ Hilde expressed her dissatisfaction with the poor tactics of the MHA and the rookie pilots that warded the two mobile suits away from Garland base.

"Can you blame them for getting careless? Those upstarts were up against Gorba Chaplin's squad... they're vicious! Led by one of the Zanscare Empire's most aggressive pilots! The Blue Komodo!" Thomas anxiously exclaimed realizing full well who their enemy was.

Magaela looked at the panoramic cockpit as the targeting crosshairs appeared. Already the data of the attacking suits was displayed in partial detail.

"Targets acquired, two Gedlavs equipped with Einrands, and a Domuttlia all three approaching at high speeds." Magaela said as her Gun-Ez grasped a beam rifle from a charging deck.

 _*Gorba's twin horn Rig Shokew is out there somewhere, which means we need to stay cautious...*_ Thomas said as his machine mounted a beam rifle on the hard point located on the hip armor and grasped a twin beam spear as an additional weapon.

"We'll what ever happens, don't panic!" Hilde exclaimed as her machine readied a beam bazooka.

The Gun-Ezs left the hangar as the chaos outside intensified, only to watch a larger mobile suit fly overhead circling the base like a vulture over it's prey. The high mobility machine then fired it's shoulder beam cannons, then used it's claw manipulator mounted beam guns to destroy two Curtisguns.

"Is that a new model!?" Magaela said to herself.

* * *

Back in the city chaos spread like wildfire, Altan and Tiria ran back to the hotel to pick up his motorcycle, when the two arrived only to see it was gone. Frustrated Altan seen the chain had been cut and concluded that it had been stolen amidst the attack.

"Damn it!" He exclaimed.

"Altan, don't worry about it! You need to get to the shelter!"

The two were alarmed by the sudden honk of a car horn. They look to see Jobi's jeep in the passenger seat was Victoria flagging the two down. Hitched to the jeep was a trailer and on it was Altan's motorcycle, secured by straps.

The two rushed to the vehicle where they quickly met up with Allegro and his family.

"Sally, you and Kenta get in the jeep! Hurry!" Allegro urged his anxious girlfriend.

"Allegro? Where's Jobi!?" Altan shouted over the noise pollution.

"He's calling his old man over the emergency line!"

"Why is he calling his dad!? What can cops do about mobile suits!?" Victoria commented shrewdly.

"He means to help with evacuation." Altan added.

Before they could finish Jobi ran quickly to his vehicle and climbed into the driver's seat.

"The goddamned line went dead before I could finish talking to him!" He exclaimed as he started his jeep.

"Aren't you guys getting in!? Your bike is loaded! Let's go!"

Without another word Altan and Tiria joined the others, then before they could get fully seated, Jobi sped off, causing allegro to stammer around.

"Hey watch it Jobi!" He shouted as they rode on nonstop.

* * *

Outside the city, the onslaught continued, the Guncannon team managed to shoot down one of the Blue Monitor team's Zolos by artillery barrage, it's iff signal alerted the rest of the team. Now out for blood, Gorba disengaged the beam rotor and dashed swiftly toward the lead mobile suit.

"019 to base! Enemy squad leader is!" Before the pilot could finish his statement, a beam rifle shot pierced the abdomen and exited the back of the Guncannon, resulting in a fiery explosion.

The custom Rig Shokew then set it's sights on the second machine, in which it used it's lethal beam saber to decapitate and ultimately impale the cockpit repeating the same end result. The team leader Patrick Caan could only watch in horror as his team is killed off one by one by the exceptionally skilled ace pilot.

 _*Ensign Patrick! Get out of here! Hurry! Ensign!*_

The pilot's final words of retreat, fell on deaf ears as Patrick fought back desperately despite being outmatched by the blue and black mobile suit. He was overcame by a cold chill as the twin horned machine sat it's predatory sights on his Guncannon. Continuously Patrick clicked the firing button of his controls, cycling between cannon and beam rifle fire.

In a loud boom clouds of smoke and dust filled the air around him, reducing visibility to mere silhouettes, quickly the blue Rig Shokew appeared before Patrick he looked on in a stupor, as if facing death itself. In a last ditch effort, Patrick drawn a beam saber stored in the calf of the mobile suit, a feature not seen in it's predecessors. It thrusted the blade forward only to no avail as the blue monitor mobile suit quickly severed the forearm of the Guncannon.

The machine came face to face with its opposition, in seconds the shutters of it's ocular sensors opened wide revealing it's reptilian like 'eyes' a feature used by BESPA mobile suits as a method of intimidation.

"What the hell!?" Patrick shouted.

Gorba's machine then slammed it's knee into the chest of Guncannon, then connected with a kick to it's head unit, critically damaging it. Soon the mobile suit crashed to the ground.

"This is Captain Gorba, feddie artillery team eliminated! In pursuit of Garland base now!"

The assault on the base continued with both sides taking on losses. The March Hare piloted once again by Ulrich Franz, disabled one of the Gedlav's Einrand throwing the ultracompact machine, it fired it's missile launcher at the new prototype which blocked the projectiles with it's beam shield.

"Way too damn close!" He said as he pushed the control forward and clicked the key accessing secondary weapons layout. Where he selected the gunpod mounted to the March Here's left shoulder armor. The special crosshairs locked onto the Gedlav's legs which were highlighted thanks to a new targeting computer used in the prototype.

He clicked the firing button which unleashed a beam spray attack, and with one shot, destroyed the right leg of the Gedlav and severely damaging the left.

"That should slow you down! Now go home!" Sparing the pilot, Ulrich shifted his focus on the large mobile suit overhead, he devised a way to attack the mammoth machine and waited to find an opening in it's defenses.

 _*Chapter 2 part 1 concluded*_


End file.
